The peacefulness on a Tuesday morning, with hardly a soul around, is broken only by birdsong, and the occasional bark from a distant dog.

Nestled in a valley, and served by a narrow road that ends in a cul-de-sac, Arrunden has been inhabited for hundreds of years and has a name with an almost Tolquienesque ring about it (or perhaps Arendelle from Frozen). I half expected a grumpy Holmfirth Hobbit to emerge from one of the ancient paths that criss-cross the hamlet. Arrunden, which is around a mile from Holmfirth, was described by the late Huddersfield historian George Redmonds as a “tiny hamlet… in an elevated but relatively sheltered position” which he said “dates back to 1308 at least.”

The tranquillity that can be found in Arrunden is one of the key reasons it’s a popular place for creative types, including painters, a sculptor, and a photographer.

And it still retains its farming heritage, with sheep and cattle on the steep sided valley fields.

My first impression was the lack of parking as I reach the end of Arrunden Lane. I couldn’t find a sensible parking spot as Arrunden Lane, which culminates in a boarding kennels and cattery business, is very narrow. I explained my predicament to a local lady who very kindly let me park on her drive. She was rushing out but described Arrunden as a lovely place. “It’s got a nice community vibe.”

One former farmer who grew up in the 1950s said Arrunden had been changed by new-build houses around 20 years ago but it has remained a beautiful and sought after place to live.

He recalled ‘old Gilbert Roberts’ who would sell chocolates and toffees from an old box with a mousehole in the back. Some of his chocs might have been gnawed by mice but his customers didn’t seem to mind. “He was a character – he had a rusted old car, said to be a Rolls Royce, that was still there when he died.”

Gilbert, whose name is given to the house he once lived in, had worked as a butcher and could sometimes be seen taking a cow to the slaughterhouse. “He would take a gun and his knives and butcher it.”

The hamlet’s characters are long gone and the old barns are now upmarket homes, but there are echoes of the past all around. There are abandoned old cottages on the edge of the hamlet, and ancient pathways lined with huge trees can be followed in many directions. Early risers may get to see wild deer wandering down the valley, and birds of prey can be spotted hovering over the fields and woodland.

Hikers and dog walkers pass through the hamlet on walks that might take them to the nearby Holme Styes Reservoir, or Holme Moss.

“We do get a lot of walkers – proper walkers,” according to the former farmer, 71, who did not want to give his name.

Sadly, one of two of the dog walkers have been bagging up their dog poo and leaving it behind. It is the kind of behaviour that leaves horse and cattle owners absolutely hopping mad. And recently there have been reports of garden ornament thefts and even sheep rustling in and around Arrunden.

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But for arty types, and there are quite a few, Arrunden is perfect for getting the creative juices flowing. But you might need deep pockets as one recent house was on the market for over £700,000. A weaver’s style cottage which recently sold was listed for around £400,000.

Photographer and author Andrew Sanderson, who lives on the edge of the hamlet, said: “I love it here, it’s a great little community of nice people who look out for each other. Shops and pubs are within walking distance if you are reasonably healthy.”

He says the nearest pubs are the Boshaw Trout at Hade Edge, or The Nook in the centre of Holmfirth. Summing up Arrunden, Andrew says: It’s a lovely community. I think Covid (lockdown) brought people together. It is a lovely place to be.”

Susan Wood, a Holmfirth artist who lives in the valley, described the area as ‘magical’ and added: “We live in a peaceful, magical valley, which is a haven for artists and creators. We have wonderful community spirit here which everyone values. Everyone looks out for each other, just how it used to be and how it should be.”